'I knew him from the time he ran around in shorts'

Lata Mangeshkar remembers RD Burman on his 71st birthday

Lata Mangeshkar remembers RD Burman on his 71st birthdayu00a0

As far as female playback legends go, Lata Mangeshkar had the honour of having sung for both the Burman maestros --u00a0father Sachin Dev Burman andu00a0 son Rahul Dev Burman.

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She recalls her initial encounters with RD. "I knew him from the time he would run around in his shorts. He was very naughty. When he came to me with his first song Ghar aaja ghir aaye badra in Mehmood'su00a0 Chote Nawab, I couldn't believe he had grown up."

The 80 year-old legend recalls her first meeting with Panchamda. "He thrust his autograph book at meu00a0 whenu00a0 I was recording for his father. Do you know what I wroteu00a0inu00a0the autograph book?u00a0 'Pancham badmashi chhod do' (Stop being naughty)u00a0 Heu00a0 laughed and ran away. After that, I didn't see him for a long time. He didn't stay much with Burman Dada. He loved his naani and stayed with her more. "

While inviting Lata to sing his first composition, RD also managed to mend relations between her and his father SD Burman. "Yes, Burman Dada and I were not onu00a0 talking terms. Out ofu00a0 theu00a0 blue Burman Dada called and said, 'Kya hua tumko? Kyon naraaz ho?' I later came to know Pancham told his father notu00a0 tou00a0 fightu00a0 with me becauseu00a0 no one else couldu00a0 singu00a0 in the style that he wanted.

Comparing the son to the illustrious father Burman, Mangeshkar observes, "If he wanted, Pancham could've easily followed his father's style.u00a0 But he followed a unique path. He observed the music and rhythms of African American musicians. He lovedu00a0 ghetto music."

Would it be right to say RD gave all the strong Indian melodies to Lata and the westernised songsu00a0 to Asha?

"Pancham always gave the right song to both of us. He'd tell me, 'Whatever I compose for you, I can never let Asha sing, and vice versa. Therefore, a Raina Beeti Jaye or a Beeti Na Beetayi Raina came to me. And why just the classicalu00a0 numbers?u00a0 RD gave me Bahon Mein Chale Aao, which I consider his career's best."

Recalling her special bond with RD, Lataji says, " Heu00a0 called me Didi. But I treated him likeu00a0 my son. When he got married to Rita, heu00a0 toldu00a0 meu00a0 tou00a0 gift him a hand-written letter. Heu00a0 kept it all his life. When he had his first heart attack while recording a song, I was told about it by hisu00a0associate Sapan Chakravarty. I broke down.

When Pancham heard about my reaction, heu00a0 told me not to worry. When he had a heartu00a0 surgery in London, I happened to be there. He sent me a message saying he wanted to meet me before surgery. I went to meet him in the hospital. He told me, 'I don't know what will happen to me. I wanted to meetu00a0 you before surgery'."

Her rapport with RD remained unaltered even when he married Asha. "Pancham and I didn't expectu00a0 anything from one another. He used to tell me things that he didn't shareu00a0 with anyone else." Mangeshkar sang both, RD's first and last tracks.

"The last I heard from him was when he asked me to sing Kuch Na Kaho in 1942: A Love Story. I wasu00a0 in Delhi when he passed away. I couldn't sing Kuch Nau00a0 Kaho during his lifetime. I felt terrible when I recorded it without Pancham."

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